Filling machine and the like for use in the automatic packing of cigarettes and other articles



March 11 1924. 1,486,785

w. E. MOLINS FILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE FOR USE IN THE AUTOMATIC PACKING OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Jan. 15 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11 1924., 1,486,785

FILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE FOR USE IN THE AUTOMATIC PACKING OF W. E. MOLINS CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Jan. 15 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z7 [lift 6,17)

ye $179 w March 11 1924.,

W. E. MOLINS FILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE FOR USE IN THE AUTOMATIC PACKING OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Jan. 15 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 any;

I wanrnnnvmmr'r MoLms, or Lennon, ENGLAND.

aux-.11, 1924.

FILLING CHINE AND/THE LIKE FOR USE IN THE AUTOMATIC PACKING- O I CIGA- RETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES.

Application filed January 15, 1923. Serial No. 612,706.

To all whom" it may concern.

-Be it known that .I, WALTER EVERETT :MoLINs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and relating to Filling Machines N and the like for Use in the Autom'aticPack- Q ing of Cigarettes and Other Articles, of

" rettes and other articles into slide and shell which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the closing apparatus of filling machines employed in the automatic packing of cigaor like packetsor cartons.

. The'object ofthe invention is to provide means whereby a packet or carton which has received an insufficient number of cigarettes or the like is closed or partially closed in a manner which readily indicates that its contents are incorrect. a g It has already been proposed to use electricaldevices whereby-a bell, or other electrical detector, is operated'when a packet or carton is incorrectly filled but with such methods, it has been necessary for'the operator to keep observation upon the particular packet or carton during the subsequent operations of the filling machines, in order "to-ensure its ultimate separatibnyfromthe correctly filled packets or-cartons.

- According to the present'invention, the

inner portion or slide of the packet or carton I with thecigarette or the like therein, is

device, the carton is'thus closed with the passed under a brush or the like before it is delivered to the apparatus for closing the outer portion or shell thereon. This arrangement is such that if the slide portion is insufficiently filled, the gap caused by the missing contents willalways occur at the same side of the slide. The device which closes the shell onto--the slide isprovidedwith a suitably mounted pawl or like member, adapted to fall into the aforesaid gap when the slide is presented, preventing the complete closifig of the'shell over the slide. In the subsequent operation of the closing usual flap of the slide portion outside the shell instead of inside same, so that the defectively filled carton can easily" be de tected and separated ,from the other filled cartons delivered by the machine.

' It will be understood that the above described apparatus is-particularly, but not exclusively, adapted for use with machines constructed according to. the specification of United States application Serial No. 479,912, filed 2nd June, 1921. To enable the invention to be fully understood it will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which the invention is shewn as applied to a machine of the kind described in the above mentioned specification. In the drawings Fig. 1 isa side elevation of the closing apparatus of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a plan' view.

Fig. 4 is a view similar-to Fig. 1 but shewmg the parts in a different position,

Figs. 5 and 6 are views of details of the machine and Figs. 7 and 8 are views of packets in different stages of closure.

In the example illustrated the packets comprising an inner slide already inserted in an outer shell are continuously passing through the machine in the direction of the arrow "1, Fig. 3 and are carried on a conveyor as described in the aforesaid specification.

The packets are closed by an arm a rocking about a pivot b in the known manner and in the present instance, the arm is adapted to operate on two packets simul taneously, each packet being closed in two stages. A closing piecec is mounted on the lower end of arm a stepped as shewn best in Figs. 3 and 6 at 0 0 each step being adapted to engage a shell 0 when the arm is swung inwards. With this arrangement, at each inward swing of the arm, the step 0 closes a packet to the extent indicat- .ed at 2, Fig. 6, while the step c completes the closure of a packet which has previously been partially closed by the step c? as shewn at 5, Fig. 6. The packets are moving continuously and the operation of the arm a is also continuous, being suitably timed to co-operate with the movement of the packets in a known manner. v

The mechanism for indicating an improperly filled packet is as follows Attached to the arm a is a spring controlled pawl d-which operates on the end of abent plate 6 pivoted at f in a bracket carried on a flat plate g. The plate 9 is hinged at m in a block n secured to the machine bed and carries a series of brushes 7) from its underside. The plate 6 is bent as shewn f, one end of the lever having a point '2) which is preferably hardened. A notched plate 10 is provided on the lower end of arm a.

The operation of the above described mechanism is as follows, the packets being assumed to be in Fig. 6:

On each inward or closing swing of the arm a, the pawl d engages the plate 6 and pushes it over on its pivot until thepawl trips, the plate 6 then being returned to its original position by spring y.

The result of this action is to cause the end it to move sharply up and down, and

during its downward movement the end It presses' on the flap 4 of the slide (Fig. 4) and allows the shell to pass easily over same.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5 which shews a section across an improperly filled slide. It will be noticed that only nine cigarettes are shewn in the packet, which is intended to hold ten. in the direction of the arrow beneath the plate 9, the brushes p sweep the four cigarettes of the top row towards the rear edge 05 the slide leaving a space at the leading e e.

FVhen this acket comes under the detecting finger r t e plate e hasalready moved downwards carrying with it the tongue is As the packet moves side of the shell enabling the operator to detect the faulty packet and remove same.

.Will rest on the cigarettes and is thustprethe position shewn in which'has been acting as a stop. The finger r then drops under gravity and the pressure of spring 8 and as there is an empty space in-the leading end of the packet, the

' finger drops therein.

As a result of this action, the point 'v of lever u is raised to such an extent that it engages the notch inplate w on arm a and stops further inward swinging of the arm a (Fig. 4). This arm a, is operated through means which allow a yielding .movement when movement of the arm is restrained to prevent damage to the machine.

moves into position to be engaged by step e of the arm (Fig. 6) the flap 40f the slide springs up of its own accord, as it ,passes from beneath the end k of the plate e (Fig. 7), the arm a moving away from the packet again and returning to complete the. closure. Thus when the arm a completes the closure on the imperfect packet in step 0., the flap 4 of this packet will be on. the out- When this restralnt'of the arm a occurs, as the packet vented from falling further and the end "0. of the lever to will not be raised to meet th notched plate '10. r A straight closure piece may be used instead of the stepped piece '0 arranged to operate on a single packet closing it in one motion. This latter arrangement is particularly effective in dealing with large size cartons;

The plate 9 being hinged, may be readily lifted for inspection purposes.

It will be understood that the invention may be .a plied to filling machines of other types, an also that the articles packed may be other than cigarettes.

For example, the invention may. be ap A plied to. amachine for filling paper packets as described in the specification of United States application Serial No. 477,202, filed 13th June, 1921,in which case. the detecting finger such as r entering a space due to a missing article may cause the top folding of the packet to 4 be interfered with, either through interference with the packet folders or by tearing the packet or marking it con-- spicuously in some such manner..

- Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim i 1. Apparatus for use with automatic fill- 1 ing and packeting machines for the purpose of indicating an improperly filled packet comprising a detecting member adapted to enter the improperly filled space in a packet 4 beradapted to enter the improperly filled space in a packet to prevent the proper closure of the packet and means for ensuring that the space in a packet due to improper filling occurs always in the same relative position in each packet.

3. Apparatus for use with automatic filling and packeting machines for the purpose of indicating an improperly filled packet comprising in combination an oscillating member for closing the shell of a packetover a filled slide, .a detecting finger nor.-

mally resting on the contents of the slide and means for depressing the flap of a slide in suc an incorrectly filled-slide the fla will be depressed on the outside of the s ell when the latter is closed completely over the slide.

4. Apparatus for use with automatic filla manner that when operating on .over a filled slide,

comprising in combination, an oscillating member for closing the shell of a packet a detecting fin er normally resting on the contents of t e slide,

means for depressing the flap of a slide, an

operative connection between the oscillating member and the detecting member connected to the detecting finger, .the arrangement being such that in the case of an improperly filled packet, the detect-- ing finger falls into the unfilled space therein, bringing the stop member into position to arrest the closing motion of the oscillating member.

5. Apparatus ing andpacketing machines comprising in combination a travelling conveyor for the filled packets, sweeping members arranged above the conveyor and in contact with the articles in the slide of the packet, an oscillating closure member, a detecting finger, a member for depressing the flap on a slide, a stop member, and connecting means between the detecting finger and stop member, so arranged that the entry of the detecting finger into an unfilled space in a slide causes the 1 closing motion of the closure member to be arreste d 6. A paratus for use with automatic fill- 7 ing an packeting machines comprising in combination a closure member, a vdetecting finger, and a stop for use with automatic fillholding the plate in a raised osition, a pivote detectmg finger, a ivoted stop lever linked to the detecting ger and means on. the closure arm for engaging the stop member. a

8. Apparatus for use with automatic filling and packeting machines comprising in combination, a pivoted closure arm, a sprin held awl on said arm, a bent plate pivote on a' racket, a flap depressing tongue on the lower end of the plate, a spring normally holding the late in a raised osition, a pivoted detecting finger, a pivoted stop lever linked to the detecting finger, means on the closure arm for engaging the stop member, a travelling conveyor for the packets and sweeping members arranged above the conveyor and in contact with the articles in the slide of the packet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER EVERETT MOLIN S. 

